'Tis the season

We had ourselves a little tree-trimming party tonight. Treats and Christmas music set the mood. We missed out on decorating last year because of the move, so it was extra fun to get all the ornaments out this year. And Walter was a big help. I love that he's old enough to really participate now. It's going to be a fun Christmas!

Monkey

A post-swimming snack. That funny hair-do is the result of a winter hat on a wet head. 

Play with your food

Let's sew something

"I have an idea, Mama! Let's SEW something!"
Oh, I like that idea very much. We decided to make a zippered pouch that Walter could use to store his "collection." Collection of what? I don't know. But there's a pteranodon on Dinosaur Train that has a collection, so, Walter needs to have one too.
He dug through my scrap basket and picked out which fabrics to use and chose a zipper. Halfway through sewing he got distracted by my button jar and gave up his position at the sewing machine to choose buttons. Those buttons became eyes and the zipper pouch became a monster zipper pouch. And it was put to immediate use, holding his collection – a pencil and Lightning McQueen.

Put this on your wish list

Did you know you needed an immersion blender? Neither did I! But I got one as a gift a few years ago and I think it might be one of the most used gadgets in my kitchen. There are a million different brands/models, and I honestly can't tell you what's good and what's bad. But THIS is the one I have and I love it. It doesn't take up much storage space and it's so much easier than hauling out the blender or food processor or stand mixer. I use it for so many different things – making applesauce, whipping cream, chopping herbs, blending soups, chopping bread crumbs, pureeing vegetables, and so on, and so on, and so on. And I end up with fewer dishes to clean up afterwards. Bonus! Ask Santa for an immersion blender. You'll be happy you did.

Strike a pose

Funny how Walter will never stand still to pose for a photo, but just about every night he'll pull out the yoga mat to do a few poses with me. We checked out The ABC's of Yoga for Kids from the library and Walter LOVES to flip through the pages and choose which poses to do. He's been doing a little yoga in his preschool class, too. It's certainly not a bad way to wind down at the end of the day. I'm thinking it should be part of our daily routine.

Molly, on the other hand, is happy to pose. As long as there's a treat involved. 

Sunshine and trains

One nice thing I'm noticing about fall and winter in this house, is that when the trees lose their leaves, the house gets a LOT brighter. And when it comes to taking pictures of a certain boy and his trains, well, that natural light comes in handy. Boys and trains move fast, you see. Without all that light, they'd just be a blur of motion. Nature finds ways to make me happy, even in cold weather.



Since we had such nice light, I talked Nate into snapping a few photos too. 

Last outdoor market

Today was the last outdoor farmer's market of the season. We lucked out with some beautiful weather. Crisp, cool air and sunshine. Unfortunately, we got a late start and Walter's favorite sugar cookies were sold out, but he found a tasty, chocolate chip substitute. Lots of vendors were trying to unload squash, so I took advantage of the low prices and bought a bag full. Nate was kind enough to carry it. (And only complained a little.) My very last purchase from the market was a Christmas present, which means I have officially started my shopping, and it's officially time for the seasons to change.

Done

Ever since last week's great run in Denver, I've been feeling some pretty bad shin pain. I took it easy all week and then tried a run on Sunday. Ouch. I only made it about 2 miles before things got bad. A couple of x-rays showed a teeny-tiny bump that the doctor tells me is most likely a stress fracture. The cure – REST! More rest. That's not in the marathon training program. So, I've decided it's time to let this one go. I'm disappointed and angry. I've put over 370 miles of training into this! But I'm also feeling a lot of relief. I'm letting go of my goal, but I'm also letting go of a lot of stress. I'm looking forward to having more time, more sleep, a better attitude and a pain-free body. I'll get back to running soon. And I'll be there to cheer Nate on as he crosses the finish line. But I'm going to sleep in that day.